The Bounds of Friendship
by shana852963
Summary: Carly asks Sam a huge favor, one that only a true friend would ever consider. The pairings in this are Seddie and Carly/OC but it really focuses on the strength of Carly and Sam's friendship.


Carly Shay walked into her best friend's house without even knocking. Sam was sitting in her living room, watching some cooking show on T.V.

"Hey," Sam said, catching sight of Carly. She flipped off the T.V. "So, how'd it go?"

Carly flopped down on the couch. "Not well."

Sam frowned. "Oh, Carly…I'm-I'm really sorry. But-but maybe you can go see someone else?"

"This is the third doctor me and Mike have been do," Carly sighed. "And he said the same thing as all the others."

Sam stared at her best friend, unsure of how she could possibly comfort her.

"I just have to accept it," Carly said firmly, although Sam noticed her voice was shaky. "I have an inhospitable uterus and will never get to have kids."

Sam put her arms around Carly as the tears began to fall from both of their eyes. Carly and her husband Mike had been trying to get pregnant ever since Sam had given birth to her and Freddie's first child a year ago. Unfortunately, things didn't go as easy as Carly and Mike had hoped, and after multiple failed attempts, they finally began consulting fertility experts.

"There's got to be something they can do," Sam said. "This is the 21st century! They made that lady's nose on _Cali Shore _look normal for crying out loud!"

"This is a little different, Sam," Carly said, smiling slightly. She stared at the ground. "But, um, at the clinic today, Dr. Greene did tell me and Mike about something, and I sort of wanted to talk to you about it."

"Shoot," Sam said.

"Well," Carly started. "Apparently, if they get, you know, the 'materials' from me and Mike to make a baby, they can mix them in some sort of lab. After that they could actually place the fertilized egg into another uterus to grow."

"Really? Wait, so you could still technically have a baby?"

"I couldn't carry it still," Carly said. "But yeah. The doctor told us that it would be just as much ours as if the baby was conceived the traditional way. The only thing is, I would have to find a woman who was willing to carry it for nine months. And, well, you're my best friend, and I know it's a lot, and I mean _a lot_ to ask, and I'd totally understand if you wouldn't be comfortable with-"

"Yes."

"What?"

"I'd do that for you."

"You-you would?" Carly blinked.

"Of course," Sam nodded. "Carls, you're my best friend. I want you to be happy."

"You have no idea how cheesy that just sounded," Carly smiled.

"Look at you, Shay," Sam laughed. "Making a sap out of me. I though Freddie was the only one who could do that."

"Sam," Carly said. "You do realize that you have to talk to Freddie before you go through with this?"

"Why? He's not going to be the one carrying the kid around for nine months."

"He's your husband though," Carly pointed out. "And you two have to make big decisions together, and I'm pretty sure giving birth to another couple's child counts as a big decision."

"Yeah, but-"

"Look, just talk to him first, before we make anything final," Carly said. "Okay?"

"Alright," Sam sighed.

"I've got to go," Carly said, getting up. "Me and Mike are meeting his parents for dinner. Call me later?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"And thanks," Carly said. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

…

"So you'd be carrying around their baby for nine months?" Freddie asked.

"Yup," Sam nodded.

The couple was sitting on their bed. Sam was feeding their son a bottle and stroking his head.

"Nine months is a long time," Freddie said.

"I know that," she said. "I carried this one around for that long, didn't I?"

"Well, yeah," Freddie agreed. "But don't you think it will feel different knowing that after that time, you don't get a baby?"

Sam shrugged. "Maybe. But it's not like I'd be giving it off to some total stranger. It's Carly. That baby will probably be over at our house as much as if it lived here anyway."

Freddie glanced at his now sleeping son in Sam's arms. He loved Carly. She was practically his sister, and he knew how much she had been wanting a baby.

"I think you should do it," he said softly.

…..

"Is that _really_ what a baby looks like when it's growing?" Freddie asked, frowning as he looked at one of the many posters on the wall of the doctors office.

"You've had a kid, you should know," Carly pointed out.

"Well, sure," he nodded. "But whenever I saw the ultrasounds all I saw were a bunch of lines."

"Yeah, I've seen them in movies and stuff," Carly's husband, Mike, nodded. "I have no idea how doctors can tell whether or not the baby's a boy or girl based on it."

"They obviously are more skilled than you two," Carly said. "Besides, when Sam showed me her ultrasound pictures we could always see the baby."

"Maybe it's a girl thing then," Freddie said. "Towards the end they got easier to see, though."

"I hope everything's going alright back there," Carly said, looking at her phone. "Sam's been with the doctor for over two hours now."

"I wish we could've gone in there," Freddie nodded. "Sam's not too good with doctors."

Just then the door to the waiting room opened and Sam stepped out.

"How was it"" Carly asked at once, jumping up. "Did the doctor find any problems? Did everything go okay? Did he do it?"

"Has she been like this the entire time?" Sam asked Freddie and Mike.

"Oh yeah," they both nodded.

"Well?" Carly urged.

"Well everything went according to plan," Sam said, smiling. "I'm officially pregnant with yours and Mike's kid."

"Oh my God!" Carly squealed, throwing her arms around her best friend. "Really?"

"Well I have to take a pregnancy test when we get home," Sam said. "But the doctor said he's almost positive he'll be seeing me again for the first ultrasound soon."

"So, we're really going to be parents then?" Mike asked.

"Uh-huh."

"I can't believe this," Carly said, grinning as the four started out of the waiting room. "Just think; in nine months I can have a little Carly Jr."

"Or Mike Jr.," Mike commented.

"We have to start researching names right away," Carly said. "And we'll have to go shopping for baby clothes and start working on the nursery. Oh, I'm going to be so busy these next nine months."

"Wow, and she's that crazy without the pregnancy hormones," Sam whispered to Freddie.

…..

_Nine Months Later_

"Freddie, I'm hungry," Sam said to her husband. "Can you get me some ice cream?"

"You just ate three hot dogs!" he exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, do you have a human being growing inside of you?"

"Freddie," Carly, who was sitting on the couch next to Sam, snapped. "Sam has to make sure she gets enough nutrition to support her _and_ the baby."

"Fine," Freddie mumbled, getting up.

"Here, I'll help you," Mike said, getting up.

"Man, you're lucky you don't have to deal with this," Freddie said, grabbing the gallon of ice cream from his freezer. "The weird cravings, the mood swings…"

"Oh, I still have to deal with plenty," Mike told him. "Carly's been going nuts these last nine months. You know last night she woke me up at three o'clock to try to convince me again that if the baby's a boy, we should name it Priestly?"

"Unless you want your son getting shoved into every trashcan at school, I'd steer away from that," Freddie said, scooping the ice cream into a bowl. "Trust me; my mom named me Fredward. I spent my fair share of time in them."

"Wasn't Sam usually the one who put you in them?" Mike grinned.

"Yup," Freddie nodded. "And fifteen years later I'm getting her ice cream. Funny how life works out, huh?"

"Hey Freddie?" Sam called from the living room. "I changed my mind! I want a bagel instead of ice cream."

"Of course," Freddie sighed.

After Sam changed her request three more times, Freddie finally delivered her a hot bowl of soup.

"I found these really cute stuffed lions the other day at the baby store," Carly said. "I have them all arranged really cutely in the crib. And Spencer also bought me this cute onsie for the baby that has the most adorable monkey on it."

"Goes with that jungle theme you made the nursery," Sam said, eating her soup. "Which I still don't get why you did."

"Because there are only so many themes that can work for either gender," Carly said. "It was either jungle, circus, or farm."

"We didn't have a theme for our nursery," Sam pointed out.

"Well you know me," Carly laughed. "I love buying things, and having a theme made it easier."

"Do you guys want to get Chinese food tonight?" Sam asked, setting her soup on the coffee table. "Freddie's mom said she's baby-sit for as long as we wanted, so we can go to that new restaurant by the grocery store and-"

She stopped in mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Freddie asked.

"Um, I think my water just broke."

"What?" Carly exclaimed, jumping up. "For real?"

"Either that or I just peed my pants," Sam nodded.

"Should we call an ambulance?" Mike asked.

"No, just drive me to the hospital," Sam said, wincing as she felt a contraction. "Now!"

"I'll drive," Mike said, grabbing his keys. "You two can sit in the back with her."

"Okay, let's just hurry," Carly said as Freddie helped Sam to her feet.

Mike sped to the hospital and arrived within ten minutes.

"Hi, um, my wife's having a baby," Freddie said to the nurse at the front counter as gripped the edge of the counter.

"Pat, get a wheelchair and bring this woman to delivery!" the nurse called to a co-worker. She handed Freddie a clipboard. "You'll need to fill this out. You can accompany your wife into the hospital room, but you two will need to wait out here," she nodded as Carly and Mike.

"But we're the parents!" Carly exclaimed.

The nurse looked confused.

"It's a long story," Freddie said. "But it's true. That's their baby."

"Um, okay, you two can go ahead in," the nurse nodded.

Two nurses wheeled out a wheelchair, and after Sam sat down in it, quickly wheeled her out of the waiting room. Freddie handed the forms back to the nurse and then hurried after her.

…..

"Still only eight centimeters," the doctor said to Sam. "You'll probably have to wait at least another forty-five minutes."

"But it's already been three hours!" Carly said.

"It took eighteen hours before," Freddie said. "That was _not_ fun."

"Yeah, it must've been real hard for you," Sam snapped.

"You threw things at me and told me that I was never touching you again," Freddie said, rolling his eyes. "At least now she can't say that."

"Your contractions will keep getting closer and closer together," the doctor said, scribbling some things down on his clipboard. "I'll be back to check on you shortly."

"This is so exciting," Carly said. "Just think, Mike, we're going to be parents!"

….

"Come on, Sam, we're almost there," the doctor said as Sam grimaced, pushing as hard as she could.

"I can't," Sam said, panting.

Freddie wiped the sweat from her brow. "Yes you can, baby. It's almost over."

"Just a few more minutes of this, Sam," Carly nodded. She was standing down by the doctors with a video camera.

"Carls," Sam said, trying to keep her voice level. "I told no cameras!"

"But this is such an important moment in-"

"Carly!"

"Okay, okay," Carly said, putting away the video camera. "Mike, come over here! You're missing the birth of your child!"

"I'm fine over here, thanks," Mike said. He was standing by Sam's other side at the top of the hospital bed. He wasn't very good with any situation that had to deal with blood or anything of the sort.

"Oh for the love chiz, this is the Miracle of Life!" Carly said.

"It's a very disturbing miracle," Mike said.

"Alright, Sam, you're going to have to push with all your might this next contraction," the doctor said. "Hopefully we'll get this baby to start crowning."

Sam nodded, and a second later the contraction began. Squeezing Freddie's and Mike's hands as hard as she could, she pushed.

"Oh my God, I see the head!" Carly exclaimed.

"Keep pushing, Sam," the doctor said. "We're almost there…"

Sam gave one last push, and then the delivery room was filled with a gentle cry.

"It's a girl!" the doctor announced.

"She's beautiful," Carly said softly, watching as the nurses took the baby to be cleaned up. "She's…perfect."

"Yeah, she is," Mike nodded, looking over at his new daughter.

"You did good, baby," Freddie whispered, kissing Sam. "You might've broken Mike's and mine's hands, but you did good."

"Such a nub," Sam said, smiling.

"Here she is," one of the nurses said, handing Carly the baby, wrapped in a light pink blanket. "7 pounds, 3 ounces and fourteen inches. Congratulations."

"Oh my God," Carly whispered, holding her daughter for the first time. "Look at her!"

The baby opened her eyes and looked around.

"She has your eyes," Mike said, going over to his wife's side.

"And your nose," Carly said. After she passes the baby to Mike for a few minutes, they walked over to Sam.

"Hey," Carly said. "You want to hold your new goddaughter?"

"I'm the godmother?" Sam asked.

"Um, Sam, you just gave birth to her," Carly laughed. "I think it's the law that you be made her godmother."

"Which of course makes you the godfather, Freddie," Mike said, transferring the baby to Sam's arms.

"Awesome," Freddie grinned.

"She looks like she's going to be a little mini-Carly," Sam commented.

"Lucky girl," Mike said. "But I guess that means I'll be fighting the boys off with a stick."

"Oh, stop," Carly said, swatting him playfully.

"Do you have any ideas for names?" Freddie asked.

Carly looked at Mike, who nodded.

"Yeah, actually, we do," she said. "We're naming her Lucille, after Mike's grandmother."

"Nice," Sam said. "Lucille Peterson. Sounds good."

"Her middle name's going to be Samantha," Carly added.

Sam looked up. "After-After me?"

"No, the other Samantha who's my best friend," Carly said, rolling her eyes. "Yes after you!"

"Carly, that's so-thank you."

"No, thank you," Carly said. "Sam, I can't believe you actually carried and delivered our child. I can't think of one other person who would've done that for me."

"Well if it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't have done it for too many other people," Sam smiled. "Besides, if it was the other way around, I know you would've done it for me."

"Yeah, I would've," Carly nodded. "Sam, you're honestly my best friend in the world. You're like my sister. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't make me get all mushy, kid," Sam warned. But then she added, "But you know you mean to the same to me."


End file.
